Comparing Schumann And Irving Berlin

Music is a form of sounds. To many people, music is important and used in many ways. Music can speak to anyone in any way that the listener interprets it. Music simply connects people. For some, music is an art and to me, music is an expression that I used whether to motivate me or to relax my brain. Some sees music as seeing through another person’s experience. Music begun during the middle ages to now. Through all the times of music, two eras of music that interests me the most is the Romantic period and the 20th Century. The two artists that I find inspirational during those two periods are Clara Wieck Schumann and Irving Berlin. These two artists are highly talented in their music and each had their own style, but yet, served one purpose:

entertainment and inspiration.
Music during the Romantic period is different from the 20th century. The Romantic period begun in the early 1800s when composers allowed their imagination and interpretation to soar in their music. The Romantic period was when composers used the same structures from the previous time periods and expanded from it, however each composer developed its own style. This era was a time where it reshaped music. During the Romantic period, music composers had greater arrays of tone, color, dynamic, and pitch. The type of music expressed a lot of individual and love in many songs and operas. (Kamien) One common instrument used during Romantic period was the piano. Whereas, in the 20th century, it was a time of music revolution.
Music grew rapidly in the 20th century. The type of music not only changed, but became an opportunity for everyone. More opportunities for minorities’ ascended and non-western music became a big influence in the west. (Kamien) From jazz to rock, America was the birthplace to some of the most influential music the world had seen-aided, of course, by the popularity of new technologies such as phonographs, and radios. (KVIE) Like other artists of the period, composers felt the necessity to break the pattern of the past and sought to create new music which expressed the new modern age. Their music then proved to a psychological portrait of the mood of true society today. (Brief History of 20th Century Music 1: Birth of the Modern )
During the 1800s, there were not many women composers.

Not many people are gifted and can learn how to play a piano .However, one talented woman, Clara Wieck Schumann, German Composer, was the first girl that learned how to play the piano taught by her father. She learned to play at age 5 and was a pianist performing from memory and no longer composed after age 36. Clara however considered herself a performing artist rather than a composer. (Oron)

Another composer, who enjoyed the piano as much as Clara is Irving Berlin. An immigrant from Russia, his life became the “classic rags-to-riches story” that he never forgot could have happened only in

America. Berlin developed a unique musical style by playing only on the “Black Keys.” He became a legend at age 30 and his music served as social barometer for much of the 20th century. Though these two composers really much enjoyed and were very talented in playing the piano, these two artists had different elements of music used in their music.

The types of music elements that Clara used were tone, expressions, and style. During the Romantic period, the tones of music reveled in rich and sensuous sound, a variety of mood and atmosphere. The expression explored a universe of feeling that capture longing and intimacy. The style of the individual was emphasis on self-expression.

(Kamien)
The music elements that Berlin used were set the tone, rhythm and tempo for the tunes America played, sang, and dances to for much of the 20th century. The tone used during the 20th century was the most important element and it played a major role in the music. The new technique of the rhythm used was expanded and new rhythmic procedures were influenced by all different cultures. (Kamien)